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Re: Parts Cleaning Solutions - Not Specifically Triumph

To: Group44TR7@aol.com, fot@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: Parts Cleaning Solutions - Not Specifically Triumph
From: Bob Buxbaum <snaponbob@cox.net>
Date: Fri, 02 Jan 2004 12:25:15 -0500
At 09:49 AM 1/2/2004, Group44TR7@aol.com wrote:
>Dear FOTers.
>
>        I sincerely hope that no one finds this to be a misuse of the FOT
>list. But it is only Triumph related to the extent that it deals with a 
>common
>issues of automotive parts cleaning.
>
>        Our firm does market research for environmental companies. One of the
>areas that we have been requested to do more research on is automotive parts
>cleaning. The major environmental service companies like Safety Kleen, 
>Heritage
>- Crystal Clear, and others have intentionally avoided attempting to service
>the hobby users and very small one-person shops (reason: not profitable). So
>we are curious as to what the hobbyist and small shops have done to address
>proper management of the spent solutions.
>
>        Based on thew shops that I personally utilize there seems to be a 
> wide
>ranging approach to management of these solutions. Since I know that some of
>you would be in this categories of small shops and hobbyists, I would
>sincerely appreciate receiving your feedback offline as to what you are 
>currently
>utilizing to clean your parts and how you dispose of the dirty parts cleaning
>solutions. Seems stores like Kragan and others collect waste oil, but 
>really do
>not separately collect the parts cleaning solutions (mixing some cleaning
>solutions and waste oil is counterproductive to some recycling efforts).
>
>        I would also be interested in any feedback that you have to offer a
>the aqueous (water based) and semi aqueous (mixture of water/organic 
>solvents)
>cleaning solutions compared to the older chlorinated organic chemicals .
>
>        Finally, is there any magazine or other resource that regularly
>provides the hobbyist and shop owner with guidance on propoer management 
>of these
>wastes?
>
>Cary


I am not going to admit to all my transgressions. However, oil, gas, and 
antifreeze ARE properly disposed of at service stations I service as a 
Snap-on dealer.

You ARE correct about Sparkle, Safety Clean, and the rest. Their business 
models are not set up for the hobby guys. Particularly, Safety Clean pays 
it's route people based on the number of customers he services, as well as 
demanding both growth (new customers) and increased services (selling the 
existing customers more services and more frequent services as well).

This is NOT a plug, however, here goes anyway. Snap-on sells a shop quality 
parts cleaner that is made of heavy plastic. It has a fluid pump, fluid 
heater, lamp, and oil skimmer. The cleaning agent is Simple Green mixed at 
a rate of 1 gallon of Simple Green and four gallons of water. When heated 
to about 110 deg it works VERY well. The oil skimmer does just that, 
leaving behind the none polluting crud that settles to the bottom (every so 
often bag it up and throw it away) and dirty soap and water (the cleaning 
agent) that can be dumped down the drain. So you have biodegradable dirty 
water, waste oil that is recycled, and dirty stuff that goes in the trash. 
That's the good news. Bad news is that the parts washer is about $1600.00, 
but will last a very long time. My guess is that are other units are also 
available but I doubt that they will be much cheaper.

Hope that helps. This issue IS a problem for the hobbyist. Really nasty 
stuff can be handled by repair and machine shops that  are willing to do it 
(for a price, of course).  As to the question of any periodicals that 
address the hobbyists, I know of none.

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